


After Arwen

by lonely_night



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: A lot of it is ranting at Arwen actually, Aragorn and Legolas are my OTP, Fluff, I don't like Arwen, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, because there is always fluff in an Aralas fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-11 10:04:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7043749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonely_night/pseuds/lonely_night
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after Arwen and Aragorn's wedding.<br/>Arwen is cheating on Aragorn and Aragorn seeks comfort in another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Serendipitous_dreamer42633](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serendipitous_dreamer42633/gifts).



> Hope you people like it!  
> I basically really don't like Arwen so this was a nice rant, and I also have waaayyy too many feels for AragornXLegolas so erm yeah... :-) 
> 
> For my sister because she needs to ship Aragorn and Legolas because they are PERFECT! ahhhh  
> *Mellon nin = my love  
> Hannan le = thank you  
> xox

“The Queen… she’s… cheating on… you with … Éomer,” panted the Servant, running into the room.  
“What?” questioned Aragorn, frowning.  
“Arwen is cheating on you!” repeated the Servant.  
“Uh… no?” said Aragorn.  
“Uh, YES!” screeched the Servant, quite unable to comprehend that the King still couldn’t understand what he was trying to say.  
“Arwen has been sleeping with Éomer for 3 months! Since you’ve been married she’s been sleeping with him even more.”  
“Why didn’t you tell me of this?” wondered Aragorn calmly.  
“We needed to check if it was definitely true, and then we didn’t know what to tell you or when to tell you! When Arwen realised that Eyown knew and had told Faramir, she threatened to kill him! It was by God’s good grace that Faramir was brave enough to tell me so that I could you.” The Servant spewed the words out like it was paining him to say them. Aragorn realised that it probably was paining him to say it because this particular servant was kind, admired Aragorn, and had only just started serving him. Aragorn realised that, by the sounds of things, the Servant had come particularly close to a death sentence. A death sentence from Aragorn’s own wife.  
His wife was cheating on him. With Éomer, his friend.  
He thought Arwen loved him. Although it wasn’t a happy marriage, it certainly wasn’t an unhappy one. Although they didn’t love each other, although they were bound to each other because Aragorn had to produce an heir, Aragorn had thought that she might at least respect him.  
But it was obvious that, now they did have an heir, she had not only lost interest and respect for him, but she had also forgotten that he had feelings.  
Needless to say, Aragorn felt a little crushed by this news.  
“Okay, thank you,” said Aragorn to the Servant. He felt a little lost for words, the anger and the shock and the hurt was consuming him. “Please send a messenger on horseback to Mirkwood. Give him the message I am about to write and tell him to take it to Legolas”.

Quickly, Aragorn scribbled a message to Legolas:

Legolas,

Something has happened at the Palace that is painful for me to talk about.  
I ask for your shelter and company. I shall be arriving the day after tomorrow, unless I hear otherwise.  
Thank you, I will tell all when I arrive.

Strider

He signed the message by his old name, incase the letter was intercepted.  
Passing the letter to the messenger, he gave a tired smile.  
“Tonight I will sleep, tomorrow I ask you to tell the Lady Arwen that I should like to speak with her in my chambers.”  
The Messenger nodded, told Aragorn to get some rest, and left.

Aragorn was alone with his thoughts.  
They were jumbled, confused thoughts.  
His thoughts were full of Legolas.  
Legolas’ smell and his touch and how soft his skin was. How Legolas used to groan and shiver when they touched in the darkness. Legolas’ voice and his light, quick feet, and his lean legs. His hair, his hair. When people said that the Prince of Mirkwood had great hair they really meant it. He missed the looks they shared that showed eternity. He missed the lingering touches and he missed how he had felt when he had a duty, a duty that was to protect Legolas. He missed the pride that came with watching Legolas do… well anything really. He missed how it had felt to rake his hands through Legolas’ hair and to whisper to him.  
The secrecy and risk they took of being overheard by their fellow travellers each night. How it felt to cosy up to Legolas on the cold nights. How it felt to be loved by Legolas.  
And then he had been crowned King of Gondor and he had left it all behind.  
He and Arwen had had some good nights together. And they had had some bad ones.  
Come to think of it, most of their nights had been bad.  
Full of thrown dinner plates and screamed words.  
He had never thrown the plates. That had been Arwen.  
He never threw the glasses, the paintings or the words.  
Aragorn was always the one to try and patch things up.  
Now Aragorn wondered if Arwen always meant for him to retaliate and to throw things back, he wondered if she always meant for him to be the abusive husband and for herself to be the dutiful, caring wife. He wondered if she was ever angry that it was the other way round. It would be easier for her to gain the people’s pity if she were the forgiving one. Easier for her to become Queen if she was always the one clearing up after everyone. It was a shame, for her, that she was never the kind one, always the cruel one.  
Legolas was never cruel. Legolas would never have thrown things. We would have never fought, had we got married. If they had let us get married. But no, Gondor needed an heir, of course. Well Aragorn might never have Legolas back now. Suddenly, he hated himself, and Gondor, and the stupid rules of the people. He hated Arwen.  
No he didn’t.  
Yes he did.  
Arwen never loved him. She hated him. She just wanted to be Queen, and to rule with Éomer.

She said as much next morning.  
She screamed “I hate you!” in the pillows that she threw at him, in the crocodile tears that she cried, in the tables she overturned, in the wine that she flung at him.

When it was all over the messenger returned.  
“My Lord, Legolas of Mirkwood says he will receive you with open arms.”  
Aragorn smiled weakly, changed into his riding clothes, and rode out to Mirkwood.

Aragorn arrived at Mirkwood late.  
Midnight, to be exact.  
Aragorn was starving, thirsty and extremely tired.  
Thankfully for him, Legolas was there to greet him.  
“I got your message Aragorn,” smiled Legolas, greeting him warmly. “No talk of it tonight, you are tired. You will sleep in my chambers -they are closest, and I will order food up to us.”  
Aragorn smiled at Legolas’ caring tone. “You haven’t changed a bit,” said Aragorn.  
“Neither have you,” said Legolas, “now let’s get you into a bath.”  
Aragorn allowed himself to sag against a wall once he got to Legolas’ chambers.  
He allowed food to be gently spooned into his mouth, and he allowed water to be trickled down his parched throat.  
He allowed Legolas’ skilled fingers to tenderly undress him. He quivered slightly at the touch of the slender fingers as they made their way to his waist to remove his trousers. He groaned as Legolas’ fingers brushed a sensitive part of his body, a sensitive part that craved Legolas’ touch.  
He protested when Legolas chuckled in his ear, “still your handsome self, I see”, muttered Legolas under his breath, hoping Aragorn hadn’t heard. Aragorn had heard actually, but had chosen not to comment.  
Aragorn allowed himself to be lowered into the bath, allowed the water to wash over him, cleansing him of his sorrows. He allowed Legolas to get into the bath beside him because apparently Legolas needed a bath too.  
He watched as Legolas intertwined their legs. The longing for Legolas overwhelmed him and he pulled him towards him. Legolas gasped slightly as the life they had both sworn to leave behind was coming back in leaps and bounds.  
“Aragorn, tell me why first, tell me what’s happened,” panted Legolas  
And so Aragorn did. He told Legolas everything, from Arwen cheating on him, to still being in love with Legolas.  
“Oh Aragorn,” whispered Legolas, “I still love you too, I always have, I never stopped loving you, even when he made that oath to leave it all behind.”  
“Me too, I just did it so that the wish of the people could be recognised, so that Gondor could have an heir.”  
“But now that you have an heir?” asked Legolas.  
“Now that I have an heir… I want you back, if you’ll have me.”  
“Of course I’ll have you back Aragorn! I love you,” said Legolas.  
Aragorn gave a sigh of relief. He pulled Legolas closer to him and hugged him tight.  
“Hannon le, oh, thank you Legolas,” murmured Aragorn into Legolas’ beautiful hair. “I’m too tired for tonight Legolas, forgive me.”  
Legolas smiled and led him to their bed, “Sleep, mellon nin, for you need it.”

The next morning, Aragorn woke up to blonde hair obscuring his vision.  
“Mmmm… Legolas?” muttered Aragorn against Legolas’ hair.  
Legolas turned to look at Aragorn. “You’re awake then,” he smiled.  
Aragorn turned too and cupped Legolas’ face in his hand, as he kissed Legolas, he bought his free hand up to brush the hair off Legolas’ forehead.  
Everything from the old times came flooding back and it felt, to both of them, like they had never stopped travelling, never taken the oath.  
“I’m happier than I’ve been for ages when I’m with you, Aragorn,” whispered Legolas.  
Aragorn nodded his agreement. Deepening the kiss, his free hand moved to rest gently on Legolas’ waist.  
“Wait”  
“What is it, my love?” inquired Aragorn, frowning.  
“I didn’t mean to alarm you, I just thought of an idea, I want to take you to a special place.”  
Aragorn nodded his consent, and they set off on horseback.

Legolas smiled. They’d arrived.  
“Recognise this place?” asked Legolas  
“I do, yes,” said Aragorn grinning  
“I come here whenever I feel alone or sad,” whispered Legolas, sighing into him.  
Legolas had brought them to the place that they had first made love. They had stolen into the forest and confessed their love for each other. It was here where they now lay.  
Aragorn smiled and kissed Legolas.  
Legolas kissed him back and put his hand around Aragorn’s waist, circling it.  
Gently, Aragorn took off Legolas’ clothes, revealing the handsome, smooth body underneath. “It’s been a while since anyone has held me like this,” confessed Legolas.  
Aragorn frowned. Why people should be neglected Legolas was a mystery to them. “Their loss then, mellon nin,” he murmured in Legolas’ ear.  
Legolas undressed Aragorn too.  
Legolas traced the scars on Aragorn’s battle-worn body and trailed kisses down his body.  
Aragorn smiled down at him.  
“Oh and I, uh, bought this,” said Legolas shyly as he produced a small bottle of lube.  
Aragorn laughed quietly to himself and gently flipped Legolas around so that he was lying in front of him. Carefully, he coated Legolas and himself in the lube and then tossed it to one side.  
“Are you ready, love?” asked Aragorn  
“Yes, but please, be gentle because I haven’t done this sort of thing in… a long time,” admitted Legolas.  
“Don’t worry Mellon nin, I won’t hurt you,” said Aragorn, gently sliding into him.  
Legolas groaned loudly and clutched at Aragorn’s hand. “I’m here, I’m here,” reassured Aragorn.  
Aragorn gently thrusted into and out of Legolas. Spurred on by Legolas’ moans and groans of pleasure, Aragorn pushed a bit faster and a bit harder.  
Legolas groaned and screamed when Aragorn hit his prostrate.  
“Yes Aragorn, yes, just there,” panted Legolas  
He hit the spot again, and again. Legolas was going light-headed from the pleasure. “I’m going to… I’m going to cum Aragorn,” gasped Legolas.  
“I’ve got you mellon nin, just one more second,” whispered Aragorn  
Aragorn hit Legolas’ prostrate one more time, and Legolas came, groaning Aragorn’s name as he went over the edge. Aragorn followed soon after, with Legolas’ name on his lips.  
Afterwards, they lay there and held each other.  
"We'll sort things out with Arwen, Aragorn,” comforted Legolas  
“Well, umm Legolas, I’ve been meaning to ask…”  
“What is it, love,” asked Legolas  
“Would you like to become King of Gondor and rule with me, with my son as our heir?”  
“Oh Aragorn! That would be amazing! Do you really mean it?”  
“Of course!” said Aragorn smiling at Legolas.  
“Yes then!” squealed Legolas, like a child.  
Aragorn smiled fondly. “I love you Legolas, lets not ever leave each other again.”


	2. I'll be here to hold your hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aragorn and Legolas have to go back and find Arwen in order to settle the goings-on once and for all.

  
The drum of the two horses footsteps echoed all around them as Legolas and Aragorn made their way back to Gondor to confront Arwen.  
The footsteps echoed, surrounding them, reflecting and bouncing through their heads reminding them of a time that once was, not so long along. A time that they could still have.  
A time that they could have after today.

 

As they neared the castle, Arwen looked out of a small window, tucked away in the corner of the castle.   
Aragorn and Legolas - she could see them galloping - full of life and vigour and, and ... love - towards the castle, towards ... her.

She grabbed Éomer, love-struck, dumb, Éomer, and ran.

 

 

  
Aragorn and Legolas arrived at the castle, panting with new hope and their renewed love for each other.  
They gave their horses over to the stable boy who smiled at Legolas and said warmly, "welcome home."

The two of them who, after searching the entire castle, were unable to find Arwen or Éomer anywhere - maybe that was unsurprising.  
Before they knew it, they found themselves knocking on Eowyn's and Faramir's door in desperation.  
"Do you have any idea where Arwen and Éomer are?" Asked Legolas hopefully  
"Legolas!" Exclaimed Eowyn and Faramir together, "long time no see!"  
Legolas grinned at his friends before Aragorn's presence altered them back to the original question.  
Their brows immediately darkened, "no, we haven't seen either of them actually, we'll come with you to look."

Questioning the guard at the gates was their next best bet, so the four of them made their way down to the front of the castle.  
"Have you seen the Lady Arwen and Éomer riding out the gates?" Inquired Eowyn to the guard.  
"Why yes, my Lady," replied the guard, "they rode off together only a couple of minutes ago."  
"And in what direction?" Asked Legolas,  
"I believe the rode to the west, My Lord."  
"Well, to the west we shall go," declared Faramir, and they mounted their horses and set off after the convicted.

 

 

Meanwhile, Éomer and Arwen had stopped to let their horses rest a while.  
"This is all your fault!" Screamed the Lady Of Gondor, picking off her brooch and throwing it at Éomer, "if you hadn't been so careless and left the door open then we wouldn't be in this mess!"  
Angrily, Arwen picked up pebble after pebble, stone after stone, chucking them at Éomer for all she was worth, which, incidentally didn't seem to be much as she soon crumbled.  
"I'm sorry, Éomer, please forgive me, I've only ever loved you!"  
There was a silence that seemed to stretch out forever as Éomer took one look at the cruel woman grovelling at his feet and he whispered, "I don't love you."

Screaming in fury and anguish, Arwen turned, grabbed her horse, and rode off, leaving the brooch on the floor and Éomer helpless and guilty.

 

  
Ahead of Faramir and Eowyn, Aragorn and Legolas tried to follow the trail left behind by Éomer and Arwen.  
Profoundly grateful to have a professional tracker with them, and an elf with the sharpest hearing and eyesight in all of Mirkwood, Faramir and Eowyn rode slightly behind them, chatting quietly.  
Watching the King of Gondor and the Prince of Mirkwood occasionally glance up from their work to look at each other, almost dazedly, as if they were trying to cement the other permanently into their memory, Faramir laughed, "the way they look at each other you'd think they were lovers!"  
Eowyn looked at him sharply, "what would you care if they were?"  
Faramir held his hands up in surrender, "I'm not one of those spiteful - what do you call them? - homophobic people, I was simply saying that they'd be good together."  
Eowyn relaxed slightly and smiled at him, "I think so too."  
"So... Aragorn disappears late at night and when he returns he brings Legolas with him?" Faramir winked, "what do you think of that?"  
Eowyn rolled her eyes at her husband fondly, "let's just wait and see what happens," she said wisely.

Slightly ahead of Aragorn, Legolas saw something that made him frown, "Aragorn!" He called.  
Turning quickly from the latch of trodden dirt he was looking at, Aragorn ran over to his lover, "what is- oh," whispered Aragorn, recognising Arwen's brooch lying in the mud, it's glimmer and shine reduced to a dull glow, barely there at all.

In the shocked silence, Legolas heard something else with his sharp eyes.  
His head whipped around, "Legolas, what do you hear?" Murmured Aragorn, just like the old times, the times that never left.  
"Whimpering, crying," responded Legolas in a low voice.  
Frowning, Eowyn realised she could hear it too, advancing towards the source of the small noise, she craned her neck around a boulder.  
"...Éomer?!" She gasped, angrily pulling out a knife by her side.  
"I'm sorry, please, I'm a traitor, I know," said Éomer quietly, in complete contrast to Eowyn's furious restlessness, "My Lord, My King," he begged, addressing Aragorn, "I'm sorry; I never truly loved her!  
Lock me up!  
Leave me here!  
Kill me, please! It would be better to die than to live in this guilty state of mind!"

Aragorn was silent, and then he said very solemnly, "you are a good man, or certainly were, and therefore I believe you can still be one. Your punishment therefore is that you must continue living and shall do in order that we find Arwen."

Wailing, wallowing in guilt, Éomer got up and joined Faramir, Eowyn, Legolas, and Aragorn on their quest to find the true betrayer.

Horse hooves sounded against hard sand as the five raced across the land, stopping only for water breaks for themselves and their horses, and reorientate themselves on their path.  
During one of these stops, Legolas and Aragorn pressed ahead, leaving the others behind so that they could rest. They were only momentarily checking that they were going on the right track, but it was still a nice break.  
"We'll be okay, yeah?" Whispered Aragorn, so quietly he wondered that Legolas hadn't heard but of course he always did.  
Intertwining his fingers with his lovers, Legolas replied "I'll always be here to hold your hand, you know that, through whatever we face, whatever happens, I am not leaving."  
Aragorn leant forward and kissed him.

Later, they doubled back to tell the others that they were going the right way after all.

Horse hooves thudded once again, as they thundered along, searching, searching, searching.

After a while of endless nothing, a broken-down house appeared suddenly in the distance, it appeared on the verge of collapse.  
After announcing their presence to the walls (in the hope that Arwen would hear), who groaned at their very existence, the five of them walked up the creaking stairs and to the first and only room.  
"Arwen?" Asked Aragorn, sure that she would be in there.  
"Come in," came the regal reply.  
Pushing open the door, the five of them stepped into the room and the dust settled all around them.

A brief silence descended as Arwen sat on the crumbling bed.

"Leave me here," she said, firmly.

"After the trial, you can be exiled here if you wish," responded Aragorn, with as much respect as he could muster for his past queen.

"Yes," she replied coldly.

 

 

After the trial, there was not all that much to say.  
Arwen was exiled to the little house in the distance.  
The people weren't bothered about this - they'd never really taken a huge fancy to her in the beginning due to her not taking any part in the battles that had passed and instead, wasting her time at the castle.

Faramir and Eowyn gave birth to twins - one daughter and one son who caused general havoc and as such were as much as a joy as they were a pain to everyone.

Éomer never forgave himself for what he had done but he was still a noble fighter and spent much of his time at the stables.

  
What about Aragorn and Legolas, who this whole story is about, you ask.  
Well, what about them?

At this very moment, Aragorn watches Legolas play with their son among the fields of golden barley.  
Turning to him and seeing the undeniably happy, undeniably beautiful, undeniably free look in his eyes, Aragorn takes his hand and whispers with a smile, "when's the wedding?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who said I ought to get another chapter out there - here it is!
> 
> The song I always listen to when I write Aragorn/Legolas is called King and Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men - if you haven't already heard it to should go check it out!
> 
> And no, though I have really enjoyed writing it, the ending is not sequel bait!! :) Thank you again!  
> Lonely_night xox


End file.
